Tim Floyd rehired for his ability 'as a teacher and as a coach,' New Orleans Hornets Coach Jeff Bower says

The Times-Picayune archive Tim Floyd has rejoined the New Orleans Hornets as Jeff Bower's lead assistant coach, the team announced Thursday.When former New Orleans Hornets coach Tim Floyd needed an assistant coach during the 2003-04 season, he turned to Jeff Bower.

Bower, who’s also the team’s general manager, hasn’t been a head coach on any level. He said there was a comfort level with Floyd, so he decided to give his old friend a call and asked if he was interested in helping him turn around the Hornets.

"I think what we considered was his ability as a teacher and as a coach, and his familiarity with our philosophies in teaching plans," Bower said.

Another thing that aided Bower’s decision making was his relationship with Floyd.

"We’re close professionally and personally," Bower said.

The move to bring back Floyd received the blessing of the Hornets owner George Shinn, who fired Floyd after his only season in 2003-04 when the team finished 41-41 in the regular season and lost to the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. Despite the abrupt end of Floyd’s tenure, Bower said the former coach has maintained a good relationship with many members in the organization over the years.

"The driving force of everything was results," Bower said of the decision to relieve Scott of his duties after a 3-6 start. "Our main focus was results and direction of improvement and where we were at right now."

Bower said Scott was informed of his fate in a meeting in Bower’s office Thursday morning with team president Hugh Weber and executive vice president of basketball operations Chad Shinn.

"(Byron) took it the way you would expect," Bower said. "Publicly, his reaction was right in tune with what he is as a person."

The news about Scott and Floyd was well-received by Hornets power forward David West, who is the only player on the team remaining during Floyd’s previous stint in New Orleans.

West said he thought the Hornets had become predictable under Scott, and that the coach had refused to make necessary adjustments despite his willingness to receive input from players.

"Pride is a crazy thing. ... The things we were doing weren’t working," West said.

West is expecting to serve as an unofficial liaison to help the current players adjust to Floyd and his system and his coaching style.

West said he already has talked to a few players about Floyd, who also coached UNO from 1988-94.

"We’re going to have to be receptive to what this means," West said.

Pierce W. Huff can be reached at phuff@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3809.